This invention relates generally to covers for golf bags and, more particularly, to an adjustable umbrella for use in a golf bag which provides optimal protection of golf clubs within the bag, while allowing for easy insertion and removal of the golf clubs.
Golf bags for carrying golf clubs, ball retrievers and other golf equipment and accessories are typically open at the top for easy insertion and removal of the golf clubs. While this provides easy access to the clubs, it also leaves both the clubs and the bag exposed to adverse weather conditions such as when rain is encountered while on the golf course. Exposure to such conditions makes it difficult to continuing playing around of golf as the handles of the clubs become wet and, over time, may even lead to damage of the clubs and the bag.
To address these conditions, various umbrella like covers have been developed to protect the upper end of a golf bag in situations when rain is encountered while on the golf course. However, many of these devices simply protect the golf clubs from the elements, but do not allow for easy removal and insertion of the clubs so that play may easily continue. Such devices may be adequate in cases when a golfer encounters a down pour and cannot continuing playing, but are very difficult to use in situations where there is a light rain or drizzle and the golfer wishes to complete the round of golf.
A typical umbrella device that allows for removal of clubs while the umbrella cover is expanded is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,570, to Conner. Conner provides an umbrella that is positioned above the golf bag and clubs and includes a spring joint such that the umbrella may be bent off to one side to remove the clubs from the bag. While such a design allows for insertion or removal of the clubs from the bag, it fails to provide optimal protection of the clubs during adverse weather conditions due to the fact that the umbrella cover is positioned substantially above the opening of the golf bag, thereby allowing rain to be blown into the space between the umbrella and the top of the golf bag, onto the golf clubs and into the golf bag with a minimal amount of wind.
Another approach to protect golf clubs from adverse weather conditions is to utilize an umbrella that may be lowered down over the golf bag top to better protect the clubs between golf shots and then extend upward to allow access to the clubs for the next shot. A substantial drawback to these proposed designs is that a typical umbrella cover is supported by a support structure made up of collapsible and expandable arms connected to the shaft of the umbrella, which arms extend radially outward to the umbrella cover itself. When such an umbrella is lowered over the golf clubs within a golf bag, the subsequent sudden motions of the golf bag and clubs, while being transported around a golf course, cause the heads of the clubs to constantly come into contact with the support structure, thereby becoming entangled within the support structure and even bending and damaging the support structure of the umbrella. Not only does this lead to a very short useful life of such an umbrella, as the support structure quickly becomes damaged beyond repair, but this also leads to frustration on the part of the golfer as it becomes an ongoing struggle to raise the umbrella, so as to remove a club, when several clubs are entangled within the support structure. In addition, in some situations, the support structure can even scratch, mar or otherwise damage the exposed club heads.
Still yet another approach to protecting golf clubs within a golf bag, while still allowing for insertion and removal of the clubs, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,996, to Forshee. Forshee discloses a foldable golf bag cover that expands over the golf clubs in a golf bag and allows for removal of the clubs by pushing downward at its top, which causes the umbrella-like cover to invert and subsequently be pushed into a mounting tube projecting upwardly from the opening of the golf bag. Such a device again allows for insertion and removal of a club, but fails to provide protection to the other clubs while a selected club is removed from the bag or replaced into the bag, as the entire umbrella is collapsed each time a club is removed from the bag. An additional concern with this design is that it is very bulky, as the mounting tube has a very large diameter relative to the size of the clubs and thus takes up a substantial amount of space within the opening of the golf bag, even when it is not in use. This is a substantial drawback to an avid golfer, who typically has fourteen different golf clubs within the bag, so that there may not be enough room for a large diameter tube similar to the one disclosed in Forshee, especially if smaller, lighter carry bags are used. Furthermore, such a device is not easily stored in the golf bag during times when it is not raining. Even in its stored position, the large diameter tube extends upward from the opening of the golf bag to a point substantially above the heads of the longest clubs, and thus may interfere with a golfer's access to the golf clubs, regardless of whether it is raining or not.
Therefore, there is a need in the field of golf bag covers to provide a golf bag umbrella which offers optimal protection of the golf bag and the clubs therein while the bag and clubs are transported along the golf course, while also allowing for easy removal and insertion of a selected club for each shot during the round of golf. Furthermore, the golf bag umbrella must be durable as it is constantly in contact with the heads of the clubs, while also being easy for the golfer to raise and lower without the clubs being caught in its support structure. Finally, the golf bag umbrella must be collapsible and very compact such that the umbrella takes up a minimal amount of space within the golf bag when not in use.